Compiled by Padmalochan dasa ACBSP
From Patalakanda of Padma Purana
Lord Siva said: “My dear Narad Muni, kindly listen now I will relate to you the wonderful glories of Tulasi Devi.
One who hears Tulasi Devi’s glories will have all his sinful reactions, stored from many births, destroyed and very quickly attain the lotus-feet of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.
The leaves, flowers, roots, bark, branches, trunk and the shade of Tulasi Devi are all spiritual.
One, whose dead body is burnt in a fire, which has Tulasi wood as fuel, will attain the spiritual world, even if he is the most sinful of sinful persons, and the person who lights up that fire, will be freed from all sinful reactions.
One who at the time of death takes the name of Lord Krsna and is touching the wood of Tulasi Devi will attain the spiritual world.
When the dead body is being burnt, even if one small piece of Tulasi wood is put in the fire, then that person will attain the spiritual world; by the touch of Tulasi all other wood is purified. When the messengers of Lord Vishnu see a fire which has Tulasi wood burning in it they immediately come and take that person whose body has been burnt to the spiritual world. The messengers of Yamaraj will not come to that place when Tulasi wood is burning. That person’s body which has been burnt by Tulasi wood goes to the spiritual world and on his way all the demigods shower flowers on him. When Lord Vishnu and Lord Siva see that person on his way to the spiritual world, they become very happy and bless him and Lord Krsna comes before him and taking his hand, He takes him to His own abode.
One, who happens to go to a place where Tulasi wood has been burnt will become purified of all sinful reactions. That Brahmin, who is performing a fire sacrifice and places amongst the other wood Tulasi wood, will get the result of one agnihotra yajna (fire sacrifice) for each grain offered in that fire.
One who offers Lord Krsna incense made of Tulasi wood will get the same result of one hundred fire sacrifices and of giving one hundred cows in charity.
One who cooks an offering for Lord Krsna on a fire which has Tulasi wood in it, will attain the same benefit as one who gives in charity a hill of grains as large as Mount Meru for each grain of such an offering to Lord Krsna.
One who lights up a lamp to be offered to Lord Krsna with a piece of Tulasi wood will attain the same benefit as one who offers ten million lamps to Lord Krsna.
There is no one more dear to Lord Krsna than that person.
One who applies the paste of Tulasi wood to the body of the Deity of Lord Krsna with devotion will always live close to Lord Krsna.
That person who puts the mud from the base of Tulasi Devi on his body and worships the Deity of Lord Krsna, gets the results of one hundred days worship each day.
One who offers a Tulasi Manjari to Lord Krsna gets the benefit of offering all the varieties of flowers after which he goes to the abode of Lord Krsna.
One who sees or comes near a house or garden where the Tulasi plant is present gets rid of all his previous sinful reactions including that of killing a Brahmin.
Lord Krsna happily resides in that house, town, or forest, where Tulasi Devi is present.
That house where Tulasi Devi is present never falls on bad times and due to Tulasi Devi’s presence that place becomes more pure than all the Holy places.
One who plants a Tulasi tree near the temple of Lord Krsna’s abode………
Wherever the smell of Tulasi Devi is taken by the wind it purifies everyone who comes in contact with it.
In that house where the mud from the Tulasi Devi is kept, all the demigods along with Lord Krsna will always reside.
Wherever the shade of Tulasi Devi falls is purified and is the best place for offering fire sacrifices.
NOTE: - One must only use Tulasi wood which has been attained after
Tulasi Devi has dried up, one must never take Tulasi wood from a tree which
has not dried up. (pages 64 – 66.)
Further Glorifications of Tulasi Devi
Sristikanda of Padma Purana
Kartikeya inquired : “My dear father (Lord Siva) which tree or plant is capable of giving love of God?”
Lord Siva replied : “My dear son, of all trees and plants Tulasi Devi is the topmost; She is all auspicious, the fulfiller of all desires, completely pure, most dear to Lord Krsna and the topmost devotee.
Long ago, Lord Krsna for the welfare of all conditioned souls brought Vrindadevi in her form of a plant (Tulasi) and planted her in this material world. Tulasi is the essence of all devotional activities. Without Tulasi leaves, Lord Krsna does not like to accept flowers, food stuffs, sandalwood paste, in fact anything without Tulasi leaves is not looked upon by Lord Krsna.
One who worships Lord Krsna daily with Tulasi leaves attains the results of all kinds of austerities, charity, fire-sacrifices. In fact he does not have any other duties to perform, and he has realized the essence of all scriptures.
Just as the Ganges river is purifying all who bathe in her, so Tulasi Devi is purifying the three worlds.
It is not possible to describe the full benefit of offering Tulasi Manjaris (flowers) to Lord Krsna. Lord Krsna, along with all the other demigods lives wherever there is Tulasi Devi. For this reason one should plant Tulasi Devi at one’s home and offer worship daily. One who sits near Tulasi Devi and chants or recites prayers will attain the results much faster.
All forms of ghosts and demons run away from that place where Tulasi Devi is planted and all kinds of sinful reactions are destroyed when one comes close to Tulasi Devi. One who makes a garden of Tulasi plants gets the result of all charities and of one hundred fire sacrifices.
One who puts into his mouth or on his head the Tulasi leaves after they have been offered to Lord Krsna attains the abode of Lord Krsna. In Kali-yuga, one who worships, performs kirtan in front of, remembers, plants or keeps Tulasi burns up all his sinful reactions and attains Lord Krsna’s abode very quickly.
One who preaches the glories of Tulasi Devi and also practices what he preaches, becomes very dear to Lord Krsna.
One who worships Tulasi Devi has already satisfied his guru, the Brahmins, demigods, and all the Holy places.
One who offers a Tulasi leaf to Lord Krsna becomes a Vaishnava very quickly. What is the need of understanding all the scriptures for one who has offered the wood or leaves of Tulasi Devi to Lord Krsna, for he will never have to taste the milk from the breast of a mother again (he will never take birth again).
One who has worshipped Lord Krsna with the leaves of Tulasi Devi has already released all his ancestors from this realm of birth and death.
My dear Kartikeya, I have told you many of the glories of Tulasi Devi. If I was to describe her glories for eternity I still would not be able to reach their conclusion.
One who remembers or tells others these glorifications of Tulasi Devi will never take birth again.
(pages 67 – 68.)
Sri Tulasi Stava of Sristikanda of Padma Purana
The Brahmin said : “Srila Vyasadeva, we have heard from you the glories of Tulasi Devi’s leaves and flowers. Now we would like to hear from you the Tulasi Stava (prayer)”
Srila Vyasadeva replied: “Previously a disciple of Shatanand Muni had approached him with folded hands and inquired about the Tulasi Stava”.
Disciple: “Oh top most of all devotees of Lord Krsna, kindly relate that Tulasi Stava, which you had heard from the mouth of Lord Brahma.” Shatanand replied : “Just by taking the name of Tulasi Devi one pleases Lord Krsna and destroys all sinful reactions”.
One who just sees Tulasi Devi gets the benefit of giving millions of cows in charity and when that person offers worship and prayers to Tulasi Devi then that person becomes worthy of worship in this Kali-yuga.
In the Kali-yuga that person who plants a Tulasi tree for the pleasure of Lord Krsna even if the messengers of Yamaraj are angry with him, what can they do to him, he need not fear even death personified.
Tulasi amrita janmasi sada twam keshava priya
Keshavartham chinomi twam varada bhava sobhane
Twadang sambhavai aniyam
Pujayami yatha hatim
Tatha kuru pavitrangi
Kalou mata vinashini
One who chants this mantra while picking Tulasi leaves and then offers them to Lord Krsna’s lotus feet, the results of that offering is increased millions of times.
Now listen carefully to the Tulasi Stava:
1 munayah sidha-gandharvah
Patale nagarat svayam
Prabhavam tava deveshi
Gayanti sura-sattama
2 na te prabhavam jananti
devatah keshavadrite
gunanam patimananutu
kalpakotisha-tairapi
3 krsna-anandat samudbhnutu
kshiroda – mathanodyame
uttamange pura yena
tulasi-vishnu na dhrita
4 prapyaitani tvaya devi
vishno-rangani sarvashah
pavitrata tvaya prapta
tulasim tvam namamyaham
5 tvadanga-sambhavaih patrai
puja-yami yatha harim
tatha kurushva me vighna
yato yami para gatim
6 ropita gomati-tire
svayam-krsnena palita
jagaddhitaya tulasi
gopinam hita-hetave
7 vrindavane vicharata
sevita vishnuna svayam
gokulasya vivriddhyath
kamsasya nidhanaya cha
8 vashishtha vachanat purvam
ramen sarayu-tate
rakshasanam vadharthaya
ropit-tvam jagat-priye
ropita-tapaso vridhyai
tulasi-tvam namamyaham
9 viyoge raghavendra-sya
dhyatva tvam janak atmaja
ashokavana-madhye tu
priyena saha-sangata
10 shankarartha pura devi
parvatya tvam himalaye
ropita sevita siddhyai
tulasi-tvam namamyaham
11 dharmaranye gayayam cha
sevita pitribhih svayam
sevita tulasi punya
atmano hita-michhata
12 ropita ramachandren
sevita lakshmanena cha
sitaya palita bhaktya
tulasi-dandake vane
13 trailokya-vyapini ganga
yatha-shastre-shu giyate
tathaiva tulasi devi
drisyate sacharachare
14 rishyamuke cha vasata
kapirajen sevita
tulasi balinashaya
tarasangam-hetave
15 pranamya tulasi-devi
sagarot tkramanam kritam
krit-karayah prahusthascha
hanuman punaragataha
16 tulasi grahanam kritva
vimukto yati patakaih
athava munishardula
brahma-hatyam-vyapohati
17 tulasi patra-galitam
yastoyam-sirasa vahet
ganga-snanam avapnoti
dasha-dhenu phala-pradam
18 prasid devi deveshi
prasid hari vallabhe
kshirod-mathanod bhute
tulasi tvam namamyaham
19 dvadasyam jagare ratrou
yah pathet tulasi stavam
dvatrim-shadaperadhans cha
kshamate tasya keshavah
One who worships Tulasi Devi on Dwadasi (the 12 day) and chants this Tulasi Stava destroys all 32 kinds of sinful reactions. Lord Krsna becomes very happy with that person.
In that house, where this Tulasi Stava is present misfortune never visits, not even by accident, and the Goddess of Fortune will happily reside there.
One who recites this Tulasi Stava will attain devotion to Lord Krsna and his mind will not wonder away from the lotus-feet of Lord Krsna.
That person who keeps awake on the Deadasi night after worshipping Tulasi Devi with this Stava will attain the benefit of visiting all the Holy places and his mind will never contemplate enjoying separately from Lord Krsna. Not only this but that fortunate devotee will never be separated from the association of the Vaishnavas (devotees of Lord Krsna.)
(pages 69 – 71.)
Eight names of Tulasi Devi
Vrindavani, vrinda, visvapujita, pushpasara,
Nandina, krsna-jivani, visva-pavani, tulasi
Vrindavani – one who first manifested in Vrindavan.
Vrinda – The goddess of all plants and trees (even if one Tulasi plant
is present in a forest it can be called Vrindavan.).
Visvapujita – one whom the whole universe worships.
Pushpasara – the top most of all flowers, without whom Krishna does
not like to look upon other flowers.
Nandini – seeing whom gives unlimited bliss to the devotees.
Krishna-jivani – The life of Krishna.
Visva-pavani – one who purifies the three worlds.
Tulasi – one who has no comparison.
Anyone while worshipping Tulasi Devi chants these eight names will get
the same result as one who performs the Asvamed Yagna and one who on the
full moon day of Karttik (Tulasi Devi’s appearance day) worships her with
this mantra will break free from the bonds of this miserable world of birth
and death, and very quickly attains Goloka Vrindavan. On the full moon
day of Karttik Lord Krishna Himself worships Tulasi Devi with this mantra..
One who remembers this mantra will very quickly attain devotion
to Lord Krishna’s lotus feet.
(page 72.)